Ireland Gardaí appeal for information on 2004 murder of Paiche Onyemaechi
Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi, a 25-year-old Malawian woman, was last seen at 9.30am on 8 July 2004 leaving her family home at St Herblain Park, Kilcohan, Waterford. Her badly beaten, decapitated body, wrapped in plastic bags, was found on 23 July 2004 in a field by Brenar Bridge near Piltown, Co Kilkenny, after her husband, Chika Onyemaechi, reported her missing on 10 July. Her husband was questioned and released without charge, and two men and one woman were arrested in the months after her death and released without charge. In April 2007 a man tried over withholding information about the murder was cleared, and no one has been charged with the murder. On 23 July 2024 gardaí issued a fresh appeal for information and a cold case review was commencing, with gardaí in Waterford and Kilkenny involved.
- Reported23 Jul
2 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi was found decapitated and her badly beaten body was wrapped in plastic bags.
- Where
- She was last seen leaving her family home at St Herblain Park, Kilcohan, Waterford, and was seen in Pickardstown, Co Waterford, at 5pm the same day.
- Her body was found in a field beside a river that runs under Brenar Bridge near Piltown, Co Kilkenny.
- When
- She was last seen on 8 July 2004, leaving home at about 9.30am.
- Her husband reported her missing on 10 July 2004, two days later.
- Her body was found on 23 July 2004 by two women walking near Brenar Bridge.
- Other details
- She was 25 years old, a Malawian woman who had lived in Ireland since 1999, and the daughter of Malawi's then chief justice Leonard Unyolo.
- She had two children, aged three and 18 months at the time of her death.
- One article gives 27 July 2004 as the date Chika Onyemaechi disappeared, while the other reports say he reported his wife missing on 10 July.
- Investigation
- Her husband, Chika Onyemaechi, was questioned by gardaí after the body was found and released without charge.
- Two men and one woman were arrested in the months after the death and released without charge.
- On 23 July 2024, on the 20th anniversary, gardaí issued a fresh appeal for information and said a cold case review was commencing, with gardaí in Waterford and Kilkenny involved.
- Anyone with information is asked to contact Tramore Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line.
- In court
- In April 2007 a man tried over withholding information about the murder was cleared.
- Charges
- No one has been charged with the murder.
23 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe woman was found decapitated. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim's body was badly beaten and wrapped in plastic bags. (irishtimes.com)
- whereShe was last seen leaving her family home at St. Herblain Park, Kilcohan, Waterford. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereShe was seen in Pickardstown, County Waterford, at 5pm on 8 July 2004. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe body was found in a field beside a river that runs under Brenar Bridge near Piltown, Co Kilkenny. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe body was found in a field by Brenar Bridge near Piltown. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe victim left her family home at St Herblain Park, Kicohan, Waterford. (irishtimes.com)
- whenPaiche was reported missing by her husband on 10 July 2004. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenHer body was discovered on 23 July 2004 by two women walking near Brenar Bridge. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe last reported sighting of the victim was on July 8th, 2004. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are again appealing for information on the suspected murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationNo person has been brought to justice for the murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAnyone with information is asked to contact Tramore Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHer husband reported her missing two days later. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe victim's husband was questioned by gardaí after the body was found and released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationTwo men and one woman were arrested in the months after the death and released without charge. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationNo one has been charged with the murder. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA cold case review of the death is commencing, with gardaí in Waterford and Kilkenny involved. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí are appealing to anyone with information about the murder to come forward. (irishtimes.com)
- courtIn April 2007, a man tried over withholding information about the murder was cleared. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim was 25 years old at the time of her death. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim had two children. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim was the daughter of Malawi's then chief justice Leonard Unyolo. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 23 Jul2024Cold case: Appeal for information relating to murder of woman (25) in 2004
Cold case appeal on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 killing. Adds details of the victim, the body's discovery, the missing-person timeline, the arrests and releases without charge, a 2007 court outcome, and a cold case review.
victim, Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi, 25, female, Malawian, non-irishPaiche Unyolo Onyemaechisuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, female - 23 Jul2024Gardai investigating murder of woman found decapitated 20 years ago make appeal
A cold-case appeal for information 20 years after the 2004 killing. Gardaí say no one has been brought to justice, and the article gives a Tramore Garda Station contact for anyone with information.
victim, Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi, 25, female, non-irish (judged from name)Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi